The new TV was delivered by Yellow Transportation freight Monday evening. It was later than I’d expected because the driver had a really bad day; first his cargo liftgate was stuck in the up-and-extended position, and then later the rolling door on the back of the truck lost a couple of hinges. But he was incredibly friendly and professional and helped us get the TV inside. The set itself was remarkably light, and we had no trouble getting it on the stand I’d gotten and assembled the week before. I let it relax for about an hour to reach room temperature — setting up the PS3, cable, and stereo hookups while I waited — and then fired it up. It looks, in a word, glorious. It’s bright, crisp, and fast. If I try real hard I can see the rainbow effect when quickly moving my eyes across the image, but I don’t notice it when I’m watching. Two games that I’d had problems with — Burnout Paradise and PixelJunk Eden — on my older, smaller TV are a lot easier and more engrossing on the big screen. Vann’s was great, with phenomenal prices, free shipping, and excellent sales support, so I’d recommend at least checking their prices if you’re going to be making a big A/V purchase.

I’m looking forward to enjoying this thing for a very long time.  Here are some photos: